Portland Gloom (Gresham, Hillsboro, Clackamas: agriculture, income, home)

[RxMarcus]

Here is a link to more pics on this forum from a different thread. Just scroll down a few posts. The second one is a beautiful pic.

Big Cities with Character and Affordability?

Is that any better Nova?

[aawest]

GucciLittlePiggie, Sorry about using "worst". When I am angry my spelling is off. However, I think you are wrong about Starbucks. I never knew they could fit so many Starbucks in one city. There is a Starbucks in every market and every street corner of Portland. You'll find a Starbucks across the street from another Starbucks. Its part of the culture here to order a non fat latte with no whip cream and cinnamon sprinkles. It gets old seeing everyone drinking Starbucks, driving priuses, and wearing columbia jackets. Talk about no diversity.

So you think its alright to spend 3 billion of taxpayers money for a light rail system because it looks good? Maybe you do belong here.

Also everyone comes out and shows the same pictures of Portland and everyone says, "oh wow what an amazing city". Just because there are cafes and people riding bikes it doesn't make the city perfect. Also just because they put a street car in downtown doesn't make the city perfect. What about the economy, schools, and other important issues of the city? I guess we can just ignore that because we have street cars and coffee shops on every corner.

Before I moved here I lived in central Florida and went to school there.

[GucciLittlePiggie]

Originally Posted by aawest

GucciLittlePiggie, Sorry about using "worst". When I am angry my spelling is off.

I was just kidding. and you can call me jeff, the username is a mouthfull

Originally Posted by aawest

However, I think you are wrong about Starbucks. I never knew they could fit so many Starbucks in one city. There is a Starbucks in every market and every street corner of Portland. You'll find a Starbucks across the street from another Starbucks. Its part of the culture here to order a non fat latte with no whip cream and cinnamon sprinkles. It gets old seeing everyone drinking Starbucks, driving priuses, and wearing columbia jackets. Talk about no diversity.

I thought it was like that everywhere with people ordering stupid crap like that at starbucks. but yeah, when i visited portland, it was hilarious how many starbucks there were in such a small space, though it is nearly like that in the boston area now. my point was just that going to starbucks is considered cliche and almost morally wrong, sort of like a liberal elite version of walmart.... i just see a lot of complaints about starbucks, so i figured people stopped feeling superior for going there in the late 90s.
and for what it's worth, i plan to move to portland in a year and a half, and when i need a car, i will be driving my lexus, and i will be wearing whatever i feel like.

Originally Posted by aawest

So you think its alright to spend 3 billion of taxpayers money for a light rail system because it looks good? Maybe you do belong here.

i don't know if this was directed at me, but um, obviously not. i think the max is good for getting around downtown. a lot more like amsterdam, which was really good about that (actually reminds me a lot of portland), and a lot less like boston or ny or london which are a nightmare to get around in.

Originally Posted by aawest

Also everyone comes out and shows the same pictures of Portland and everyone says, "oh wow what an amazing city". Just because there are cafes and people riding bikes it doesn't make the city perfect. Also just because they put a street car in downtown doesn't make the city perfect. What about the economy, schools, and other important issues of the city? I guess we can just ignore that because we have street cars and coffee shops on every corner.

no city is perfect, and i'm moving there with eyes wide open. it's just a matter of balancing the pros and cons that are most important to you. it sounds like you're not happy at all there, so maybe the things that some people like so much don't matter to you, and the things you are concerned about are things the people are willing to overlook or remain hopeful things will improve.

[Lillietta]

[quote=aawest;1327915]I am sick of people coming to Portland and saying how livable it is.

For many people the city is charmingly liveable, and they apparently love it. People are pretty much free to relocate in this day and age if they feel that strongly. I know it is the city for me. But then I have lived in Chicago, NY and Minnesota; it all depends what you want and where you're coming from. Obviously, attitude is very important, i.e. many Portlanders are not going to let rain stop them from biking and jogging and are glad they don't have snow to prevent them from doing so.

So what you meant to say that it is not liveable for you. Another man's meat......

[Lillietta]

I couldn't open the pictures I would love to see them. SuperNova, I've been to Portland and am definitely relocating there for probably all of the reasons you cite as to why you like it. It has both a big city look (especially downtown which is gorgeous) and is made up of a variety of different neighborhoods, some similar to those in San Francisco. It has funky neighborhoods, seedy neighborhoods, beautiful tree-lined neighborhoods, both middle-class and upper class. I guess, for me, you get all in one. And it is hilly in parts, with great views of the city from the top. Depending on where you are, you can have a big-city feeling or a small-town feeling because of the many faces of the city. And to walk along the busy river, to me, is lovely.

[GucciLittlePiggie]

Originally Posted by Lillietta

I couldn't open the pictures

they should just load right in the message. you have to be logged in, maybe, but otherwise they should.... sorry!

[Nature Girl]

Originally Posted by GucciLittlePiggie

do you mean like the financial district of boston, or downtown manhattan, etc that has an impressive skyline and densely packed buildings? portland isn't really like that... i can't seem to find any pictures of it being crowded with people (other than bicycle races, it seems), or long stretches of a street lined with precious shops selling trendy little souvenirs, but those are actually reasons i'm considering moving there... i have included some pics of it being a city, not a rural community in oklahoma...

Awesome pics Guccilittlepiggie! Thanks for sharing; Portland sure is beautiful isn't it.

[Supernova7]

Thank you for sharing those pics. It helps me as well as many other people get a "feel" for the city. I don't know it's beautiful no doubt but still feels like a suburb/european town more than a city. Where's the graffiti/murals?
Why is that boy alone in what appears to be an upscale bakery?.....LOL
Now I know the third pick from the bottom is an upscale neighborhood. Is that a French restaurant?

I LOVE the protest pics Usually I'm accustomed to seeing minorities in such pics and not a group of white people....LOL

The NORDSTROM'S MUST GO. Big/expensive retailers belong in the suburbs

My favorite pic...The boy walking late at night in with the fog/rain and pretty lights that line the street. Makes you feel like your in New Orleans in that pic.

I would love to see actual "neighborhoods" as opposed to a "pretty and clean" downtown. Perhaps most downtowns look the same, the upscale retailers and people in a hurry. I like areas that show streets lined with small little cheap eateries, theaters and cafe's with many people just hanging out.
Where's the hot dog stands? and people loungin on the grass? apartments with ivy running along them? people that don't look wealthy....lol

Just don't put a pic up of people roller blading, cycling in one neat line surrounded by empty trails with trees....LOL

Everything looks too neat and in place. Like a small little town.

What area is that where people are sitting on the red concrete? It looks pretty empty as far as things to do. Is it a park or part of an entry to a Federal building?

Good pics

[oldtintype]

All of those things ARE in downtown. If you want to see all of those things you mentioned you need to come visit, then you won't have to guess anymore or make assumption about if it's a city or not. You can't just read about things you have to actually visit someplace to get a feel for what it is.

Most downtowns are filthy, that Portland's isn't is a positive thing--a lot of effort has been made to keep people living in the city, not just abandoning it for the suburbs like other cities.


The Marsee Bakery was taken in NE if you look at the street sign--not downtown.

[aawest]

Well Portland has some filthy areas too just not in the immediate downtown area. NE Portland and Gresham have crime and more of a dirty look to it. Contrary to what you read on here Portland does have problems like other big cities.